Get behind the strongest candidate

[sandnsea]

Somehow or other, it was wonderful when Al Gore said this before a single vote had been cast. Tomorrow, 14 states will have voted. Kerry will have won, with a wide margin, in every region of the country. Over half of Democrats polled are behind him and 80% are satisfied with him as a candidate. That some would encourage unity seems pragmatic, as Gore thought it pragmatic back in December.

I'm not saying any candidate should drop out or any of that. I am saying some people need to quit crying in their teacups today when their own candidate called for unity before a single vote was cast.

"It is about all of us and all of us need to get behind the strongest candidate."

"This nation cannot afford to have four more years of a Bush-Cheney administration. We can't afford to be divided among ourselves to the point that we lose sight of how important it is for America. What is going on in this Bush White House today is bad for our country and it's slowly beginning to sink in to more and more people out there. And we don't have the luxury of fighting among ourselves to the point where we seriously damage our ability to win on behalf of the American people this time around."

[oasis]

1. Edited: Some agreed quite strongly. Buyers remorse began to set in

on the eve of the Iowa caucuses.

[DjTj]

2. I think we all believe we're already behind the strongest candidate.

...we just disagree on whom that is.

[sandnsea]

4. He meant Dean

Do you think we should have gotten behind Dean then? Why was Dean so right then and others are wrong now, when we actually have had voting now, when we didn't then?

[cthrumatrix]

19. Dean is the strongest...I'm behind Dean

[sandnsea]

21. Should we do what Al said?

Should everybody else just drop out like Al said to?

[He loved Big Brother]

37. Should we believe Bush won with half a million fewer votes?

[spooky3]

35. You expressed that well, DjTj.

[Myra]

3. Definitely! Clark is clearly he strongest candidate, and

there's no place I'd rather be than behind him.

[sandnsea]

5. Wrong candidate

He meant Dean. Better switch now before it's too late!

[Skip Intro]

6. Yeah, let's hand the media spotlight back to bush

That would be the best thing for us.

And let's tell the voters in the remaining 36 states that their voices don't count - again.

The process exists for a reason. As someone else noted in another thread, "gee, two months pregnant and your ready to deliver."

Hope to see you at the convention.

:D

[progressivebydesign]

7. You're right on.. the GOP WANTS us to hurry up!

Screw that! The minute we let it be known that the Democrats have chosen their nominee, before the convention, the media attention will go back to the White House, and their endless stream of feel-good proposals. I want to stretch this primary season till the very end.. until it's certain that there is no statistical way for someone to overtake Kerry. Then, I'll relax and wait.. not until then. I"m not handing the GOP 6 months of media time.. no way! And.. even after the nominee is decided, I want the platform of this convention to reflect the profound voice that Howard Dean and his supporters, and Kucinich have given to the party.

[sandnsea]

11. Dean said it in December

It was right then, why isn't it right now?

[corporatewhore]

8. if you are talking about kerry then its Get behind the Spineless Cannidate

i am sorry he should have taken a stand and said THERE IS NO FUCKING WAY IN HELL I COULD EVER SUPPORT FMA

[NashVegas]

9. Al Was Wrong to Say That

Just as wrong as all of those on DU are, to try to pressure the rest of us to get behind the heir apparent before the fat lady sang.

[sandnsea]

13. My point exactly

And it's hypocritical of certain supporters to act shocked now when they were totally behind the concept back in December when Gore was saying this.

[NashVegas]

30. How Many People in DU

Were saying it?

[sandnsea]

33. More than are now

That's for damn sure.

[charlie]

14. Naw, Al wasn't wrong

Sandnsea's experiences with Dean backers aside, Al was just making a standard-issue endorsement of the guy he thought should be president. Nothing wrong with that.

[ibegurpard]

10. You can certainly make that entreaty

There's nothing to say you can't. But I'm not going there yet...if ever if Kerry's the candidate.

[sandnsea]

12. This was Gore about Dean

What don't you get about that? Why was it right then and not now, AFTER votes have actually been cast?

[NashVegas]

31. What Does Gore Saying GB Dean Have to Do with DUers

Demanding everyone fall in line?

[sandnsea]

32. It was good enough in Dec

Dean DUers were saying it then. Now they're outraged and it's a DLC conspiracy. Not that complicated.

[NashVegas]

40. Prove It

Prove to me there was a movement among DUers to compell everyone to line up for Dean.

Show me 5 or more threads where DUers demanded unity behind Dean.

[blm]

50. You can find some of that here in these threads...

Try these:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&...

[Skip Intro]

15. You are so wrong, on so many levels

Visualize a ceremony where DK and AS and WC and HD and JE would crown Senator Kerry, and humbly bow before him as he takes his throne...

uh, no thanks

1) We, as long as the process continues, control the media spotlight - it would be insane to relinquish that one moment sooner than we absolutely have to.

2) The vote so far, in its very early stages btw, show one thing clearly - more than 50% of those voting prefer someone other than John Kerry.

3) And the words you are using to argue that we ignore the process and pledge allegiance to the chosen one don't say what you imply -
------
"This nation cannot afford to have four more years of a Bush-Cheney administration. We can't afford to be divided among ourselves to the point that we lose sight of how important it is for America. What is going on in this Bush White House today is bad for our country and it's slowly beginning to sink in to more and more people out there. And we don't have the luxury of fighting among ourselves to the point where we seriously damage our ability to win on behalf of the American people this time around."
------

What you are arguing, evidently, is that any further contests among the candidates will take our party to the point where our ability to win is seriously damaged, is that right? That a quick uniting behind Kerry is our only hope? That allowing democracy to actually play its role in this election is somehow dangerous?

With all due respect, I do not believe we are anywhere near that point. I believe we are being strengthened as a whole by the process, and awakening millions to the criminal fraud that is the bush regime. And I believe that allowing more people to vote rather than less is a good thing.

And I am less inclined to support Kerry every time I read that I should immediately and unquestioningly support him. Perhaps a clear statement from his highness on his position, then and now, on the Iraq invasion would go further to recruit supporters than this crazy idea that the world will end if people don't fall in line, and pronto.

This "everyone should drop out now" meme is unworthy of our party, imho.

Dean - All The Way!

[sandnsea]

16. Those are Gore's words

He was talking about Dean. It was okay then, but now it's a travesty? The current outrage you express is phony bullshit. Dean supporters loved it when it was all about Dean, now Democracy itself is at stake. :eyes:

[rhite5]

17. No. Democracy is at stake if we give up on the democratic process.

[Skip Intro]

18. Some info for you

First of all, I wasn't a Dean supporter until after Iowa, so calling my opinions "phony bullshit" - while almost as endearing as the "quit crying in your teacups" line, is just wrong.

Second, Gore's statements only apply in the way you're suggesting if you believe that we are now "fighting among ourselves to the point where we seriously damage our ability to win on behalf of the American people this time around."

As I explained above - maybe you missed it - I do not believe we are at that point, do you? I believe, as I said above, that our position is being strengthened by the process, especially with the ability to shine the media spotlight on the bush regime. Its about what's good for America, not what's good for John Kerry.

A question - would you now be making the same argument if, say, General Clark had almost a quarter of the necessary delegates?

:shrug:

[sandnsea]

20. Get behind the strongest candidate

That's the title of my post and the point I was making. I specifically said I'm not calling for any candidate to drop out. I'm only saying that this whining and blaming and finger pointing every single time something doesn't go your candidate's way is ridiculous. Your being a generic your, not directed specifically at you. I would say when you've got people suggesting Dean run as an Independent, you've got problems.

And so you know, I talked to someone about voting for Edwards tonight. He said he was going to vote for Kerry because it looked like Kerry was going to win, even though he had been supporting Edwards. This was my phone list, my dime, and I told the man to vote his conscience.

It's the whining and the inability to be consistent and objective that drives me nuts around here. And I call my fellow Kerry supporters on it too. I've even alerted on a couple when they were out of line and I think I may have got one booted.

Dean supporters have no room to be expressing outrage at Kerry, who hasn't said a word about anybody dropping out, when their own candidate was actually pushing for it before a vote had even been cast.

[DannyRed]

25. Excuse me,

but do you have a link or a quote, or a piece of mail that indicates that Dean was suggesting that the other candidates should drop out?

[sandnsea]

29. Did you forget?

Everybody should just leave Dean alone because he was going to win? Not much difference between that and a call for unity or others to drop out. At least we've had some votes now.

"If we had strong leadership in the Democratic Party, they would be calling those other candidates and saying, 'Hey look, somebody's going to have to win here,' " he told the newspaper.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/12/30/elec04.prez.dean.democrats/

[DannyRed]

34. Ummmmmmmm...

No, apparently my memory is not at issue here, rather, your ability to read critically for comprehension.

Dean was, as is extremely clear from the article and the context, talking about negative attacks.

He was (properly or improperly) talking about the negative attack ads, his conversation with Terry Mac, and his attempt to forestall/head off/or quell the attack ads from the other candidates.

He specifically talked about destructive infighting, and the fact that the DNC chair should have reigned in the attacks on other candidates.

Now, I do not want to get into who started it, who went negative first, who is at fault, or whatever -- all debatable, all equivocal.

What is NOT equivocal about that particular article and statement, however, is that he was specifically referring to other candidates attack ads and the position of the party chair with respect to curtailing the most egregious of those ads.

Whether or not one agrees with that, or not, is irrelevant.

Dean was (rightly or wrongly) accusing the other candidates of being needlessly destructive due to sour grapes, and saying that "Hey, someone's gotta win, so don't mess the nest for everyone in an attempt to unfairly tear me down"


AGAIN, whether or not he was correct, justified, right or wrong about that issue is NOT the point.

The POINT is that this quote and this article in no way support your point.

May I recommend, in the future, if you are going to accuse a candidate of a particular sin, that you have your facts straight first?

Thanks very much.

[Skip Intro]

27. Some more

Gore didn't say anyone should drop out. He said we should unite behind the strongest candidate before we reach a point where fighting amongst ourselves hurts our chances of beating bush. We, imho, are not near any such point - quite the contrary.

Not sure what you mean by whining, blaming and finger-pointing, but there is a lot of emotion on all sides.

I'm not outraged at Kerry for asking people to drop out - he hasn't to my knowledge, but I am bothered by some of his supporters when they suggeest "the time has come."

I have never heard Dean say anyone should drop out.

Kudos for telling that person to vote his conscience.

[Guava Jelly]

22. I Am behind the strongest candidate

Wesley Clark

[sandnsea]

23. Should everyone else drop out?

Is that what you're saying? That's what Al was saying.

[ibegurpard]

24. Al was expressing the same OPINION that you are

And many people chose to reject it as they are rejecting yours.

[sandnsea]

28. Hellloooo

"I'm not saying any candidate should drop out or any of that." My words.

I'm saying why was it wonderful when Al said it but now Democracy is in jeopardy.

[charlie]

26. Pshaw. No he wasn't

n/t

[RetroLounge]

36. Yawn

:boring:

[mrgorth]

38. This is the worst thread

on any message board, ever.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

42. but comments like that certainly make it worth reading

:eyes:

[molly]

39. The people have spoken!

:kick:

[liberty rising]

41. That's why I continue to support KUCINICH

Dennis is The Strongest Candidate, possessing...

Strongest sense of Honesty and Integrity
Highest level of Intellect
Bravest Heart
Strongest Connection to real Americans
Strongest Plan for Peace
Strongest Plan for Jobs
Strongest Plan for Universal Healthcare
Strongest Stance against global aggression
Strongest Stance against NAFTA...

I agree, let us all "get behind the Strongest Candidate"

Candidate Dennis J. Kucinich

[Mairead]

44. Right on, LR, and welcome to DU!

Dennis is indeed the strongest candidate, if we judge strength by the willingness to resist power unflinchingly, to tell the unvarnished truth no matter what, and to be on the side of We the People rather than the wealthy elites.

Of course, if we only judge strength by its ability to crush, to deprive, and to ignore...then DK doesn't come off so hot.

[Desertrose]

47. YAY! well said LR

:hi: liberty rising
great post...I agree 1000%!

Kucinch is the BEST we got!!



Peace & hope
DR

[redqueen]

48. You sure have that right! He's the strongest, no doubt.

GREAT post!!!! :yourock:

His strong finishes recently DESPITE a near total media blackout on anything meaningful about him have really shaken some people up.

If the media actually reported about him, can you IMAGINE how different it would be?

Go KOOCH! :D

[GiovanniC]

43. I AM Behind the Strongest Candidate

And make no mistake... Kerry winning the nomination would NOT EQUAL being the strongest candidate.

Don't get me wrong. Kerry's a decent guy, and despite his IWR, Patriot Act, et al. votes, he's a good senator. And truly, a loaf of three-day-old bread could govern this country better than Bush. Give me any of our candidates over the current idiot in the Oval Office, and I'll gladly vote for them.

None of that, however, changes the fact that Wesley Clark is the strongest candidate. He would mop the floor with Bush in a way Kerry could only daydream about.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

45. Strength comes also from empowerment

and if you aren't elected you are not empowered.

[Rowsdower]

46. I am behind the strongest candidate

Unfortunately though I'm not a citizen so I can't vote for Dean. From an outsider's point of view, Dean is by far the strongest candidate in the dem field.

[redqueen]

49. Hi Rowsdower!

Welcome to DU! :hi: